1. Know five of the following terms used in upholstery to describe the tools and give their uses:[edit]

A tack claw is a tool used for pulling tacks out of furniture. One end has a handle by which the tool is gripped. The other end has a claw which is wedged underneath the head of the tack. The handle is then either lifted or pushed down, levering out the tack.

A staple knocker is a tool resembling a screwdriver, used for removing staples and shredded material. It is called a knocker because a hammer can be used to hit the end of it and remove long lines of shorter staples.

An upholstery regulator is an upholstery tool which smooths irregularities in the stuffing beneath the coverings.

While it looks similar to a needle it is heavier; like needles the regulator comes in various gauges and lengths. It is used to poke through the various layers to adjust the stuffing before the final cover is put in place.

A related tool is the stuffing iron, which is used to push the stuffing into the curves and corners of a piece of furniture; it has a narrow piece of steel with one toothed edge to grab loose stuffing and place it in the hard to reach spots. <br style="clear:both"

A magnetic hammer (also called a tack hammer or an upholstery hammer) is a lightweight hammer used for securing upholstery fabric to furniture frames using tacks.

One face of the hammer is magnetized to aid in placement of tacks. Once started, the tacks are driven with the other face. Staple guns have largely replaced tacking as an upholstery technique, except where decorative tacks are used. In the case of decorative tacks, the non-magnetic face of the hammer is often outfitted with a nylon tip so that the tack is not marred as it is driven in place.

A snap blade knife is a general-purpose utility knife used for cutting upholstery. When the tip becomes dull, the end of the blade can be snapped off, revealing a sharp, new tip. When the last tip is used, the knife can be refilled with a new blade.

Be careful to properly dispose of the snapped-off tips. They are still sharp enough to pose a danger to anyone who picks it up (either intentionally or not).

An industrial sewing machine uses a much more powerful motor than a household sewing machine. It also operates much faster and makes more consistent stitches because the parts are precision machined. It is also an order of magnitude more expensive than a household sewing machine.

An industrial sewing machine is needed for upholstery because it is able to sew through heavy material that a household machine would have no hope of accommodating.

Because of its great speed and power, it is important to carefully read the instruction manual for the model of industrial sewing machine before using it. If no manual is available, contact the manufacturer for a replacement.

Webbing is used in couches and chairs as a base for the seating areas that is both strong and flexible. Many types of outdoor furniture use little more than thin light webbing for the seating areas. Webbing is also used to reinforce joints and areas that tend to flex.

Hessian (also called burlap) is a coarse cloth made of vegetable fibers. In upholstery it is used as an internal layer to hold batting in place. It is also used on the underside of furniture. Hessian is a very strong cloth and is used as a support cloth and as a liner.

Calico is a textile made from unbleached, and often not fully processed, cotton. It may contain unseparated husk parts, for example. The fabric is less coarse and thick than canvas or denim, but owing to its unfinished and undyed appearance, it is still very cheap.

"Flocking" is a decoration process that enhances the way a wide variety of products are experienced by making ordinary surfaces seem far more magical and special. "Flocking" is the process of depositing millions of little individual cut fiber particles (called "flock") onto the surface of an article for the purpose of increasing its value in terms of the tactile sensation, aesthetics, color and appearance, and/or a wide variety of other functions--such as insulation, slip-or-grip friction, etc.